A historic event is around the bend for MMASucka staff picks.
UFC on ESPN 58, also titled UFC Vegas 93, will take place later today, June 15th from the UFC Apex in Las Vegas, Nevada. The Ultimate Fighting Championship is set to host its 100th event from the promotional headquarters venue since UFC on ESPN 9 in May of 2020. Prelims begin at 7:00pm ET (4:00pm PT) with the main card at 10:00pm ET (7:00pm PT). All fights will be available on ESPN 2 and ESPN+.
Results from UFC on ESPN 58: Perez vs. Taira will be available here at MMASucka. Be sure to recap our picks following Thursday’s PFL 4 2024 Regular Season event from Uncasville, Connecticut.
Card Headliner
After various athlete shuffles, a thrilling, five-round pairing became officially set between top-ranked flyweights Alex Perez (+170) and Tatsuro Taira (-205).
Numerous fight cancellations and three straight losses marred former divisional Title challenger Perez from late 2020 to March of this year. However, his short-notice knockout over Matheus Nicolau in April turned his tides as the 2017 Contender Series alum is now set for his twelfth octagon walk and his third in the last 15 weeks. Perez’s opponent, Taira, gets his first main event opportunity since signing with the UFC at the top of 2022. The former Shooto Champion remains undefeated with 15 professional victories including five since his promotional debut and three stoppages in his last four appearances.
This is going to be a good one 👀@AlexPerezMMA vs @TatsuroTaira
[ #UFCVegas93 | LIVE on @ESPNPlus | 10pmET/7pmPT ] pic.twitter.com/uWMue9lOwR
— UFC (@ufc) June 14, 2024
Co-Main Event
Bantamweights Douglas Silva de Andrade (+120) and Miles Johns (-145) will meet in the night’s closely-paired, co-main spot. The bout was elevated after Ikram Aliskerov was rebooked to June 22nd’s main event opposite Robert Whittaker. As a result, Aliskerov’s originally scheduled opponent Antonio Trocoli was pulled from the event.
38-year-old Silva de Andrade returns following a 13-month hiatus looking for a second straight and 30th career win following a unanimous decision over Cody Stamann. Former LFA Bantamweight Champion Johns looks for a second win of 2024 and a third-straight victory (excluding a win-turned-No-Contest last September due to a failed drug test in his Dan Argueta matchup).
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Remaining Fights
Two athletes looking to see their hands raised come at featherweight between 2023 Contender Series competitor Timothy Cuamba (-200) and former Jungle Fight Lightweight Champion Lucas Almeida (+165) as they aim to avoid a string of two and three losses, respectively.
Former FAC Bantamweight Champion Garrett Armfield (-190) targets his third UFC win since August of last year as he battles the two-fight streak of The Ultimate Fighter 29 runner-up Brady Hiestand (+160) at 135 pounds.
Rising Kazakhstani star and significant favorite Asu Almabaev (-520) brings his 15-fight run to the challenge at flyweight versus another former Contender Series contract signee Jose Johnson (+390).
Lastly sees a welterweight divisional duel between dangerous finishers Adam Fugitt (+105) and Josh Quinlan (-125). See further below who the MMASucka crew has picked to win at UFC on ESPN 58.
Staff Picks
MMASucka staff picks are composed of four of the world’s leading mixed martial arts organizations: the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the Professional Fighters League (PFL) with Bellator MMA, ONE Championship (ONE FC), and Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS).
- UFC picks will include main card fights ranging from four to six matchups per event.
- PFL and Bellator MMA see picks from main cards for pay-per-views and from tournament fights in the Regular Season, Playoffs, and Finals.
- ONE FC and DWCS picks will feature all MMA fights from the event with a minimum of three matchups.
The individual who picks the most victorious fighters by the end of 2024 will have a choice between receiving a custom-made championship belt from ProAmBelts or a detailed chain from Championship Chains. Staff picks in 2023 were won by Ben Jamieson with a record of 300-148.
Find our UFC on ESPN 58: Perez vs. Taira picks and fight odds below.
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RECORDS AFTER UFC ON ESPN 57:
1. Nate Freeman: 121-61
2. Wesley Riddle: 115-67
3. Jeremy Brand: 114-68
4. Michael DeSantis: 106-64
5. Frazer Krohn: 104-78
6. Andrew Benjamin: 82-77
7. Lukas DeWitt: 52-33
8. Julio Monteros Jr.: 28-11
9. Michael Kachan: 19-9
10. Casey Cooper: 4-5
*Note – not all staff pick for every event*
*Note – PFL 4 2024 picks will be added to records NEXT weekend*
Josh Quinlan (6-2), -125
vs.
Adam Fugitt (9-4), +105
WELTERWEIGHT DIVISION
– 170 LBS. ~ 77.1 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Quinlan via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Fugitt via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Fugitt via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Fugitt via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Quinlan via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Quinlan via Split Decision
Staff picking Quinlan: 3
Staff picking Fugitt: 3
Asu Almabayev (19-2), -520
vs.
Jose Johnson (16-8), +390
FLYWEIGHT DIVISION
– 125 LBS. ~ 56.7 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Almabayev via Round 3 TKO
Wesley Riddle: Almabayev via Round 1 TKO
Michael DeSantis: Almabayev via Round 2 SUB
Andrew Benjamin: Almabayev via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Almabayev via Round 2 TKO
Nate Freeman: Almabayev via Round 2 TKO
Staff picking Almabayev: 6
Staff picking Johnson: 0
Brady Hiestand (8-2), +160
vs.
Garrett Armfield (10-3), -190
BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION
– 135 LBS. ~ 61.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Hiestand via Round 2 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Armfield via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Armfield via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Armfield via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Armfield via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Armfield via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Hiestand: 1
Staff picking Armfield: 5
Timmy Cuamba (8-2), -200
vs.
Lucas Almeida (14-3), +165
FEATHERWEIGHT DIVISION
– 145 LBS. ~ 65.8 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Cuamba via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Cuamba via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Cuamba via Split Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Cuamba via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Cuamba via Split Decision
Nate Freeman: Cuamba via Split Decision
Staff picking Cuamba: 6
Staff picking Almeida: 0
Douglas Silva de Andrade (29-5), +120
vs.
Miles Johns (14-2), -145
BANTAMWEIGHT DIVISION
– CO-MAIN EVENT –
– 135 LBS. ~ 61.2 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Johns via Unanimous Decision
Wesley Riddle: Silva de Andrade via Split Decision
Michael DeSantis: Johns via Unanimous Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Silva de Andrade via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Silva de Andrade via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Johns via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Silva de Andrade: 3
Staff picking Johns: 3
Alex Perez (25-8), +170
vs.
Tatsuro Taira (15-0), -205
FLYWEIGHT DIVISION
– MAIN EVENT –
– 125 LBS. ~ 56.7 KG. –
Jeremy Brand: Taira via Round 3 SUB
Wesley Riddle: Taira via Unanimous Decision
Michael DeSantis: Taira via Split Decision
Andrew Benjamin: Taira via Unanimous Decision
Frazer Krohn: Taira via Unanimous Decision
Nate Freeman: Taira via Unanimous Decision
Staff picking Perez: 0
Staff picking Taira: 6
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